Method and apparatus for polishing an aluminum vehicle wheel

ABSTRACT

A system ( 10 ) for polishing a wheel (W) includes a spindle ( 29 ) to carry the wheel (W). A motor ( 31 ) rotates the spindle ( 29 ) to rotate the wheel (W). A cut/buff polishing wheel ( 42 ) receives an abrasive compound on its periphery from a spray gun ( 44 ) and is positioned so as to sequentially operate upon various portions of the wheel (W). A color/buff polishing wheel ( 43 ) receives a polishing compound from a dispenser ( 46 ) and applies it to the wheel (W) upon sequentially operating on various portions of the wheel (W). A plurality of systems ( 10 ) may be provided in a chamber ( 11 ) which has an evacuation housing ( 21 ) positioned adjacent thereto to evacuate debris resulting from the polishing of the wheels (W).

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This invention relates to the polishing of aluminum vehicle wheels. More particularly, this invention relates to a method whereby a wheel may be polished through a sequence of steps at a single station. More specifically, a plurality of such stations may be provided in a polishing chamber.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Owners of many types of automotive vehicles, in particular, trucks and the like, often wish to adorn their vehicles with highly polished aluminum wheels. The manufacturing of such wheels is not a simple process. First, cast aluminum blanks must go through a variety of cutting and or shaving processes; holes typically found in wheels, such as to receive lugs, are drilled therein; the wheels are checked for defects, cracks or the like; and finally, the wheels are sent to a polishing area which converts their dull grey appearance into a shiny, almost mirror-like, finish.

[0003] A typical prior art polishing area includes a turntable device which might hold, for example, up to eight wheels to be polished—the exact number of wheels usually being equivalent to the number of polishing steps which must be performed on each wheel. A plurality of polishing tools are positioned above the turntable and create a plurality of polishing stations where the separate polishing steps are accomplished. Thus, the turntable is moveable to position the wheels sequentially under each tool so that the polishing step can be performed by the tool at each station. A hood is required to be provided in the polishing area of the factory in an attempt to remove dust and other debris created by the polishing steps from the area and prevent it from infesting other areas of the factory.

[0004] This polishing system suffers from inefficiency and other related problems. For example, a problem with one of the tools at one station will shut down the entire system. In addition, the duration of the longest steps of the polishing process dictates the length of time to complete the process for all of the wheels. That is, for example, if one step in the process takes thirty seconds, while other steps may only take ten seconds, several of the wheels may be sitting unattended while operations are performed on a single wheel. In addition, the method of using a hood to assist in the exhausting of the area is an expensive and inefficient approach. That is, despite the presence of the hood evacuation system, air pollutants can easily escape to other areas of the factory.

[0005] The art is thus in need of a more efficient, effective and otherwise improved wheel polishing system.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0006] It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an improved and more efficient method and apparatus for polishing a wheel.

[0007] It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus, as above, in which the buffing and polishing operations are performed on the wheel at one location thereby rendering the operation independent of the polishing of other wheels.

[0008] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus, as above, wherein a robotic controlled arm carries a device which sequentially polishes portions of a wheel.

[0009] It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus, as above, wherein the polishing procedure takes place in an enclosed chamber which may accommodate a plurality of wheels at one time.

[0010] These and other objects of the present invention, as well as the advantages thereof over existing prior art forms, which will become apparent from the description to follow, are accomplished by the improvements hereinafter described and claimed.

[0011] In general, an apparatus for polishing a wheel made in accordance with one aspect of the present invention includes a spindle to carry a wheel, the spindle being rotated by a motor. A first polishing wheel and a second polishing wheel are rotated by a second motor. A supply of an abrasive compound is provided to the periphery of the first polishing wheel, and a supply of polishing compound is provided to the second polishing wheel.

[0012] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of wheels may be received at a plurality of polishing stations in a chamber. A door is provided in the chamber to gain access to each polishing station and an evacuation system is positioned adjacent to the chamber to remove debris-laden air from the chamber.

[0013] A method for polishing a wheel in accordance with one aspect of the present invention includes the steps of positioning a wheel at a polishing station and thereafter rotating the wheel. An abrasive compound is provided to a rotating polishing wheel which contacts the wheel to be polished at a series of locations on the wheel. A polishing compound is provided to another rotating polishing wheel which contacts the wheel to be polished at a series of locations on the wheel. The polished wheel is thereafter removed from the station.

[0014] A preferred exemplary method and apparatus for polishing a wheel incorporating the concepts of the present invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings without attempting to show all the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied, the invention being measured by the appended claims and not by the details of the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015]FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a chamber wherein one or more wheels may be simultaneously polished in accordance with the method and apparatus of the present invention.

[0016]FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the chamber shown in FIG. 1.

[0017]FIG. 3 is a somewhat schematic front elevational view of a system for polishing a wheel, a plurality of which may be provided in the chamber of FIG. 1.

[0018]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the system shown in FIG. 3.

[0019] FIGS. 5A-5F schematically depict a series of polishing operations being performed on a wheel.

[0020]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary depiction of a portion of a wheel showing the locations of the operations being performed as shown in FIGS. 5A-5F.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0021] A system for polishing a wheel is generally indicated by the numeral 10 and is best shown in FIG. 3. A chamber, generally indicated by the numeral 11, and shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is designed to house a plurality of polishing systems 10 for operation therein.

[0022] As shown, chamber 11 includes a front wall 12 having a plurality of support beams 13 therein. A rear wall 14 is spaced from front wall 12 by a top wall 15 having a plurality of support beams 16 therein. The ends of chamber 11 are closed by opposed end walls 17 and 18. Front wall 12 is provided with a plurality of doors 19, each of which may be opened to gain access to a system 10 positioned therebehind. Thus, the chamber 11 shown in FIG. 1 is designed to house six systems 10, thereby having six doors 19. However, it should be understood that a chamber 11 may be designed to house essentially any number of systems 10 without departing from the concepts of the present invention. Top wall 15 of chamber 11 is shown as having a plurality of windows 20 generally positioned above each system 10. As a result, the operations of the systems in chamber 11 may be monitored, as desired, by a workman positioned on top wall 15.

[0023] Chamber 11 also includes an evacuation housing, generally indicated by the numeral 21, positioned adjacent to one end wall 17 or 18. Thus, as shown, housing 21 communicates with the interior of chamber 11 through end wall 17 and includes opposed front and rear walls 22, an end wall 23, and a top wall 24. Top wall 24 has an evacuation passageway 25 formed therein. Chamber 11 may be provided with a conventional blower system, or alternatively, a suction system (not shown), by which dust and other debris-laden air created by the operation of systems 10 will be received in housing 21 and evacuated through passageway 25 where it may be transferred through hosing or the like (not shown) to a disposal area.

[0024] System 10 is preferably operated or otherwise controlled by conventional robots or the like, but at least portions of the operations could be performed by a workman. The extent to which robots may be involved is generally shown in FIG. 4. A robotic arm 26 carries each system 10 and extends through an opening 27 in chamber rear wall 14. Thus, a robot (not shown) for each system 10 is typically positioned at the rear of chamber 11 with its arm 26 extending into chamber 11 and carrying a system 10 for operation on a wheel W, as will be hereinafter described.

[0025] A second robot (not shown) having an arm 28 may be utilized to load and unload wheels W into and out of chamber 11 through front doors 19. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each system 10 includes a spindle 29 mounted for rotation on a shaft 30 which is rotated by a motor 31. Spindle 29 carries a mounting fixture, generally indicated by the numeral 32, which includes wheel mounting lugs or fingers 33. As shown in FIG. 4, if system 10 is to be robotically loaded, the arm 28 thereof carries a wheel W and lowers it onto spindle 32 so that its lugs 33 pass through the conventional lug openings found in a wheel W. Such a loaded condition is shown in FIG. 4. At this time, operation of motor 31 can rotate spindle 32, and thus wheel W, in either direction, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

[0026] The majority of the operating components of each system 10 are carried and manipulated by the robotic arm 26. These components are all carried by a plate 34 which is bolted to or otherwise attached to arm 26 of the robot. Plate 34 carries a motor 35 having a rotatable shaft 36 which carries a pulley 37. A belt 38 is received around pulley 37 and is received around another pulley 39 carried by an axle 40 which is supported for rotation relative to plate 34 by a plurality of pillow blocks 41. At opposed ends thereof, axle 40 carries a cut/buff polishing wheel 42 and a color/buff polishing wheel 43. Operation of motor 35 thus rotates wheels 42 and 43. Each wheel is preferably formed with a circumferential pad made of a material such as cotton, sisal or the like.

[0027] Plate 34 carries a spray gun 44 positioned adjacent to the circumferential periphery of cut/buff polishing wheel 42. Via a tube 45, gun 44 receives a conventional liquid-abrasive compound which, during operation of system 10, is sprayed onto wheel 42. Plate 34 also carries a dispenser 46 which carries a supply of a conventional solid polishing compound received from a source of supply through a conduit 47. Dispenser 46 is mounted in close proximity to the circumferential periphery of color/buff polishing wheel 43 and, during operation of system 10, the compound is provided to wheel 43 to provide a bright shine to wheel W.

[0028] In summary as to the operation of system 10, after the aluminum wheels have been properly prepared for final polishing, as previously described, they are provided to the polishing station, as defined by chamber 11, usually on a conveyor. As the wheels W are received at chamber 11, the robotic arm 28 picks up a wheel W and loads it onto spindle 29. When such is accomplished, a control signal is provided to the robot having arm 26 to indicate that the wheel W is ready for polishing.

[0029] Spindle 29 then begins to rotate in a first direction to rotate wheel W, and cut/buff wheel 42 begins to rotate in a first direction, as it is being supplied with the abrasive compound on its surface from spray gun 44. The purpose of the polishing sequence of wheel 42, now to be described, is to remove all machining lines from wheel W and provide wheel W with an overall smoothness.

[0030] With reference to FIG. 5, robotic arm 26 orients wheel 42 relative to wheel W as shown in FIG. 5A and engages the wheel to buff the area of wheel W identified as A in FIG. 6. It should be noted that during this and the following operations, the direction of rotation of wheel 42 is preferably against the direction of rotation of wheel W. System 10 preferably stays at position 5A for at least ten seconds and then robotic arm 26 moves wheel 42 to the position shown in FIG. 5B so that the area B of the wheel is buffed. Again, this buffing procedure preferably lasts approximately ten seconds. Thereafter, arm 26 orients wheel 42 as shown in FIG. 5C and area C of wheel W is operated upon, this time preferably for approximately twenty seconds. When finished with area C, wheel 42 is positioned as shown in FIG. 5D to operate on the rim area D of wheel W. This procedure preferably lasts longer, for example, for up to thirty-five seconds. Robotic arm 26 then orients wheel 42 as shown in FIG. 5E and area E of wheel W is buffed.

[0031] The direction of rotation of wheel 42 and wheel W may then be reversed, and at least some of the operations on areas A, B, C, D or E may be repeated. As a last step in the cut/buff procedure, wheel 42 sweeps radially through areas A, B, C and D, as shown in FIG. 5F, thereby cleaning all lingering compound and debris from wheel W at the area designated F in FIG. 6. In addition, although not shown in FIG. 5, at some time during the sequence of operation on wheel W, areas G and H, as shown in FIG. 6, may be operated upon by wheel 42 as necessary. As a result, all exposed areas of wheel W, when on a vehicle, have been operated upon by cut/buff wheel 42.

[0032] Each wheel W then goes through a final polishing step. To that end, color/buff wheel 43 is rotated by motor 35 and spindle 29 is rotated by motor 31. During this sequence, a final bright color or polish is created on wheel W by virtue of the fact that wheel 43 receives a compound from dispenser 46. During the sequence, preferably wheel 43 and wheel W are rotating in the same direction and wheel area E is polished first with wheel 43 being oriented by robotic arms 26 in a position much like is shown in FIG. 5E for wheel 42. Arm 26 then sweeps radially through wheel areas A, B, C and D with wheel 43 being in the position in which wheel 42 is shown in FIG. 5F. At this time, the direction of rotation of wheel 43 and wheel W is preferably reversed, and the buffing sequence of operation on wheel area E and sweeping through wheel areas A, B, C and D is repeated.

[0033] When wheel 43 has performed its polishing operations, a signal is sent to the robot controlling arm 28 which then picks up finished wheel W and places it on a finished product conveyor. The process is then repeated on another wheel W. Of course, when a plurality of systems 10 are provided in a chamber 11, the process is ongoing for a multiplicity of wheels at one time, with the debris therefrom being evacuated from chamber 11 through evacuation passageway 25 of housing 21.

[0034] It should be evident that the exact sequence of operation described herein is not critical to the present invention, it only being important that the cut/buff procedure take place first, followed by the color/buff operation. Moreover, although it has been described that one robot controls both wheels 42 and 43 through arm 26, it should be evident that two robots could be employed, one for each wheel 42, 43.

[0035] In view of the foregoing, it should be evident that a system constructed and operated as described herein accomplishes the object of the present invention and otherwise substantially improves the wheel polishing art. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of polishing a wheel comprising the steps of positioning the wheel at a polishing station, rotating the wheel, supplying an abrasive compound to a first rotating polishing wheel, contacting the wheel with the first rotating polishing wheel at a series of locations on the wheel, supplying a polishing compound to a second rotating polishing wheel, contacting the wheel with the second rotating polishing wheel at at least one location on the wheel, and removing the wheel from the polishing station.
 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the direction of rotation of the first polishing wheel is opposed to the direction of rotation of the wheel when the first polishing wheel is contacting the wheel.
 3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of reversing the direction of the rotation of the wheel and the first polishing wheel after completion of the step of contacting the wheel with the first rotating polishing wheel.
 4. A method according to claim 3 further comprising the step of again contacting the wheel with the first polishing wheel at a series of locations on the wheel after reversing the direction of rotation of the wheel and the first polishing wheel.
 5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of reversing the direction of the rotation of the wheel and the second polishing wheel after completion of the step of contacting the wheel with the second rotating polishing wheel.
 6. A method according to claim 5 further comprising the step of again contacting the wheel with the second polishing wheel at at least one location on the wheel after reversing the direction of rotation of the wheel and the second polishing wheel.
 7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of positioning includes placing the wheel in a chamber.
 8. A method according to claim 7 further comprising the step of evacuating debris-laden air from the chamber.
 9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of positioning includes the step of locating the wheel on a spindle.
 10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the step of rotating the wheel is accomplished by rotating the spindle.
 11. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of contacting the wheel with the first rotating polishing wheel includes the step of sequentially orienting the first polishing wheel at the locations on the wheel.
 12. A method according to claim 11 wherein the step of contacting the wheel with the first rotating polishing wheel includes the step of radially sweeping the surface of the wheel.
 13. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of contacting the wheel with the second rotating polishing wheel includes the step of radially sweeping the surface of the wheel.
 14. Apparatus for polishing a wheel comprising a spindle to carry a wheel, a first motor to rotate said spindle, a first polishing wheel, a second polishing wheel, a second motor to rotate said polishing wheels, means to supply an abrasive compound to the periphery of said first polishing wheel, and means to supply a polishing compound to the periphery of said second polishing wheel.
 15. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said means to supply an abrasive compound includes a spray gun positioned adjacent to the periphery of said first polishing wheel.
 16. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said means to supply a polishing compound includes a dispenser positioned adjacent to the periphery of said second polishing wheel.
 17. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said spindle carries a fixture having fingers to engage the wheel.
 18. Apparatus according to claim 14 further comprising a robotic arm to position the wheel on said spindle.
 19. Apparatus according to claim 14 further comprising a plate carrying said motors and said wheels, said plate being carried by a robotic arm.
 20. Apparatus according to claim 19 further comprising an axle carrying said wheels, said second motor rotating said axle.
 21. A system for polishing a plurality of wheels comprising a chamber, a plurality of polishing stations in said chamber each adapted to receive and polish a wheel, a door in said chamber to gain access to each said polishing station, and an evacuation system adjacent to said chamber to remove debris-laden air from said chamber.
 22. Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said evacuation system includes a housing positioned adjacent to and in communication with said chamber.
 23. Apparatus according to claim 22 further comprising an evacuation passageway in said housing.
 24. Apparatus according to claim 21 further comprising at least one window in said chamber so that said polishing stations may be observed.
 25. Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein each said polishing station includes a spindle for carrying a wheel to be polished and a motor to rotate said spindle.
 26. Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein each said polishing station includes a first polishing wheel, a second polishing wheel, and a motor to rotate said polishing wheels.
 27. Apparatus according to claim 26 wherein each said polishing station includes a spray gun positioned adjacent to said first polishing wheel to supply an abrasive compound to the periphery of said polishing wheel.
 28. Apparatus according to claim 27 wherein each said polishing station includes a dispenser positioned adjacent to said second polishing wheel to supply a polishing compound to the periphery of said second polishing wheel. 